Monday, November 28, 2016

Building a community around new projects might be crucial for education reform

Today I had a meeting with Dean Dr. Hardin Coleman and Associate
Dean Dr. Donna H. Lehr of the Boston University School of Education.

To a date, they represent the highest-level officials I was
able to talk to.

I appreciate very much the time they invested in the
meeting.

We have discussed some of the projects, including “Treat
Education Like Space Exploration”.

I was met with very thoughtful questions, and was given very
helpful feedback, useful information (including who to meet next, and what to
expect).

When we were discussing a prospective of a science of
education, at a certain point Dean Coleman asked me how many years do I plan to
work on the project?

My answer was: “I hope I will be able to work thirty to forty more years”.

I am perfectly aware that such a project requires years, if
not decades to complete.

It must have stages.

The first stage has been started and is happening right now –
it is seeking people who agree with the general idea.

Many people – even high ranking university officials – think
of education as an art, or a sport. They do not see the need in having a
science of education. They do not even believe that a science of education is
possible to be developed. And believe me or not, many people holding PhD in education agree with this point of view!
This is one of the reasons I try to attract the attention of people from the outside of education.

That is why I have to keep looking, have to keep posting
posts and videos, and have to keep setting up meetings.

If you read my blog, you know my negative reaction to having
Donald Trump as our new President.

However, when thinking about education, I may be able to
find a silver lining in it.

I would expect the Clinton’s administration would not be
making any drastic changes to the current way of educational reform. And that
would mean a stagnation for many more years.

If you read my publications, you know that I advocate for
significant changes in the way education is being funded, teacher preparation
is being conducted, and a science of education is being developed.

With the new Administration coming, there is at least a
chance that the situation in education will begin to change in the right direction.

There is also a chance the new Administration will ruin
education, but this heavily depends on the people who will be brought to the
top of the Department of Education.

It also will depend on the actions of all the public – from parents,
to teachers, from district officials to philanthropists. And that is why we
need to build a community around such projects like “Treat Education Like Space
Exploration!” (https://www.gofundme.com/teachology), or “Physics Course to Every Student, Physics Into Every School!” (http://www.teachology.xyz/2020.html)

Today especially interesting reading was Facebook replies to
comments to posts. It is time consuming, but once in a while it is time worth
spent.

To everyone who has been emotionally attacked, called names,
threatened, verbally degraded!

Know this.

There is such a science, called “psychology”.

And this science has proved as a fact, that everyone who was
emotionally attacking you, called you names, threatened you, and tried to
verbally degrade is a looser.

This is a fact.

Everyone from that side hates you and others because they
hate themselves, but cannot accept this. When they look into a mirror they see
a person who does not have much of a respect, who has not achieved much in
life, for whom the only way to feel better about themselves is to put someone
down.

What should you do about it?

Nothing.

Or almost nothing - it is up to you.

First, stay calm. Do not get provoked. If you feel an
emotion, do not react, take a walk.

But if you want to write something back, write something
cold, or even sarcastic.

Every time when you write something smart, those guys get
more and more wound up, and eventually just got tired.

In a way, the more obscenities you are getting, the bigger
is the victory of your side.